Thunderbolt Prize 2017 results

From deep inside legendary bushranger territory...The New England Thunderbolt Prize for Crime Writing is a national award for unpublished short-form crime writing.All genres of crime writing are eligible, from hard-boiled to comic, paranormal to rural, noir to cosy.Entries came from everywhere in Australia and, for the first time, we accepted digital files.

The New England Thunderbolt Prize for Crime Fiction, sponsored by the School of Arts, UNEJudge: Emma ViskicWinner: Roots, by Sarah Fallon (Vic)An unsettling story that effectively uses the mundane event of a sewerage blockage to create tension. The truth about the protagonist’s character is slowly revealed through his thoughts and memories. Narrative detail is sparse, but evocatively used, letting the reader fill in the gaps of the story with their own imagination.Highly Commended:Running the Gauntlet, by Ann Lax(NSW) Also winner, New England Award. An amusing and well-structured story about two wannabe cattle rustlers.Superficial Thugs, by Daniel Spicer ( NSW)The distinctive narrative voice is well-maintained through this story about a shoplifter and his mateCommended:Minutes of the Periwongle Shire Council, by William Bennett(NSW)An entertaining story about the machinations within a local council. Written with a light touch and an innovative structure.The Bell, by Tara East(Qld)Some lovely use of language and good characterisation lifts this story about two young girls coming to terms with the death of their grandmother.More than True, by Jaz Stutley (NSW)An interesting and atmospheric take on the line between creator and character.The Lost Souls, by Jo Tsang(NSW)A glimpse into the mind of a disturbed young man. Good characterisation and attention to backstory.Provenance Unknown, by Stephen Kirkcaldy (NSW)This is an unusual take on the standard jewellery heist story. Good use of tone and a consistent structure.Judge’s report: I enjoyed reading the crime fiction entries, and was particularly pleased to see a number of writers experimenting with structure and style. Entries ranged from humorous yarns, to dark paranormal tales. Although there were a number of straightforward murder mysteries, the majority of stories centred around the motivation and consequences of the crime itself, which made for interesting reading. I awarded marks for structure, characterisation, use of language, and originality. Many stories scored highly in one or more of these areas, but were weaker in others. The most common problems were structural, with a number of works either lacking narrative drive, or having too much backstory too early in the piece. Overall, it was exciting to read so many different approaches and styles, and I strongly encourage all the entrants to keep writing!

New England Award, sponsored by Reader’s Companion BookshopRunning the Gauntlet, by Ann Lax. Also Highly Commended in Fiction category

The New England Thunderbolt Prize for Crime Non-fictionNon Fiction, sponsored by New England Writers’ CentreJudges: Michelle and Roy WheatleyWinner:All in the Tea Leaves, by Greg Tuchin(NSW)No Highly commended or commended.Historic true crime which skilfully captured the voice of the period in tone and grammar. The writer successfully developed the characters quickly, the language is descriptive yet succinct and the story is easy to follow. It was engaging from start to finish; the author wove a tale that certainly proves that sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.Congratulations to the other entrants. Some of the anecdotes and commentary in the other entries certainly made us laugh. Keep up your efforts honing your writing skills, we appreciate the time you have put into your submissions.

The New England Thunderbolt Prize for Crime PoetryPoetry, co- sponsored by the New England Writers’ Centre and Armidale Dumaresq Library Judge: Caroline TuoheyWinner:The Crack, by Jenny Blackford (NSW)Highly commended:Cards at Sea, by Ian Hood (NSW)Interrobang, by P.S.Cottier (ACT)Commended:Taking advantage of minimum security, by Anne Vince (NSW)Judge’s report:The quality of writing by all the entrants was excellent. The content of the entries was varied and all were entertaining and creative. Some made me laugh, others brought tears to my eyes. The four entries that stood out chose unexpected crime scenes, powerful imagery and characters who teetered on that very fine line that separates good from bad until they each, in their own unique way, fell. The winning entry was crafted with clever word-play that took me on a journey similar to the summing-up monologues given by David Suchet’s Hercule Poirot – the writer unravelled with brief simplicity, the truth of a crime that others had chosen to ignore. The bad were bad and the good were bad and as a result, the innocent didn’t stand a chance.

Youth Award, co-sponsored by Little Pink Dog Books and Christmas PressJudge: Dr Elizabeth HaleWinner: Didn’t mean to, by Naomi McClarty (16 years old, Queensland)A lively and energetic look at the dark side…Highly commended:Tokyo Chase, by Francis Todd(14 years old, NSW)The energy and drive of this captured the manic life of a Tokyo assassin.Judge’s report:The entries admirably conveyed fear, terror, and the occasional remorse of killers. The overall quality was good: I would recommend though that participants proof read, and work on formatting, especially in the case of flash-back stories, which require visual breaks for readers to absorb shifts and turns.